We were going to ride to the race (10km)
I had a flat tyre. A quick assessment of whether to spend 10 minutes replacing the tube or 10 minutes getting the bikes on the bike rack (in the dark) and driving there had to be made.
I decided on the repair. At least that way we'd get a good warm up riding there a little bit faster to make up lost time.

We arrived a little after registration time and soon discovered it was a new circuit and we were riding anticlockwise. Megan was unimpressed considering she had never ridden a criterium and we'd been practising right hand turns all week. She saw someone fall in practise so was more than a little worried about her first race.

We did a couple of laps then my wife turned up not knowing how to get to the new circuit so I rode over to meet her near the turn off. I got to the far side of the circuit and I saw she had made it to the track so I went to turn off the race track. I was heading east and the sun was very low in the sky, blindingly low as it turned out. I decided to ride between the barriers, problem is there was no 'between'. Of the three panels the end two had the black and yellow stripes facing me and the middle one had them facing away from me so that combined with the low sun meant someone didn't see the centre barrier until it was too late.

I hit the anchors and turned and hit the barrier at a 45 degree angle and knocked all three over, 6 metres of metal barriers all knocked over. It was almost comical the way they fell in slow motion. I remained upright and on the bike. Of course my wife thought it was funny.

No casualties to the bike and I came out of it with a cut and swollen finger and a bruised shin. Most of the impact was with the handle bars and my finger was between the handle bars and the barrier.

That's right there was a race on.

This is getting a little long so I'll get to the point, I got 4th after dropping off the back of the lead pack. I could see even after 12 minutes of the 20 minute race that I had 4th sown up so I was happy to drop off.
Not that I gave it, I was still going hard and did manage to lap one rider.

Megan, my daughter, had even more success. She won.
Before the race the boys were being boys telling each other how they were going to win because they've been training for this race. Megan then destroyed their little worlds and beat them and after their crashing defeat, by a girl, they made every excuse they could think of for not winning.

You could also get a fraction closer and use fill flash (turn the flash on), the trick is to do the metering when the sun is out of frame (press the button hal'f way down with the sun out of frame, move back and fully depress for photo).

gururug wrote:You could also get a fraction closer and use fill flash (turn the flash on), the trick is to do the metering when the sun is out of frame (press the button hal'f way down with the sun out of frame, move back and fully depress for photo).

We were going to ride to the race (10km)I had a flat tyre. A quick assessment of whether to spend 10 minutes replacing the tube or 10 minutes getting the bikes on the bike rack (in the dark) and driving there had to be made.I decided on the repair. At least that way we'd get a good warm up riding there a little bit faster to make up lost time.

We arrived a little after registration time and soon discovered it was a new circuit and we were riding anticlockwise. Megan was unimpressed considering she had never ridden a criterium and we'd been practising right hand turns all week. She saw someone fall in practise so was more than a little worried about her first race.

We did a couple of laps then my wife turned up not knowing how to get to the new circuit so I rode over to meet her near the turn off. I got to the far side of the circuit and I saw she had made it to the track so I went to turn off the race track. I was heading east and the sun was very low in the sky, blindingly low as it turned out. I decided to ride between the barriers, problem is there was no 'between'. Of the three panels the end two had the black and yellow stripes facing me and the middle one had them facing away from me so that combined with the low sun meant someone didn't see the centre barrier until it was too late.

I hit the anchors and turned and hit the barrier at a 45 degree angle and knocked all three over, 6 metres of metal barriers all knocked over. It was almost comical the way they fell in slow motion. I remained upright and on the bike. Of course my wife thought it was funny.

No casualties to the bike and I came out of it with a cut and swollen finger and a bruised shin. Most of the impact was with the handle bars and my finger was between the handle bars and the barrier.

That's right there was a race on.

This is getting a little long so I'll get to the point, I got 4th after dropping off the back of the lead pack. I could see even after 12 minutes of the 20 minute race that I had 4th sown up so I was happy to drop off.Not that I gave it, I was still going hard and did manage to lap one rider.

Megan, my daughter, had even more success. She won. Before the race the boys were being boys telling each other how they were going to win because they've been training for this race. Megan then destroyed their little worlds and beat them and after their crashing defeat, by a girl, they made every excuse they could think of for not winning.

I was going to be smart and say the middle of the pack but I can't be bothered. I've been helping daughter number 1 with her sin, cos and tan.I've got an electronics background (real technical officer electronics, not the (computer) circuit board swapping monkeys who call themselves 'technicians'. ) so that's basic stuff. I race in Townsville.

TriggerFish wrote:Great stuff! Good on Megan too! I hope she takes a lot of confidence out of the win. I bet you and the trouble and strife could not have been prouder.

Megan's bit of a legend in these parts. One day in about year 2 she said she wanted to run in the school cross country race and told us she'll come 2nd. She did then won every year after that in primary school. The sneaky girl would size up the opposition at training and not run flat out to the point where she let others beat her at training then she'd let rip on race day.
She been as high as 6th in the Townsville cross country, represented north Queensland at soccer, played basketball, touch and done athletics and now she's turned her skills to cycling.
I pity the other junior cyclists. She inherited my sporting abilities and determination.
After winning the race last Sunday she went and played soccer, kicked three goals and the team won 11-1. Last year her team scored 100 goals in the season.

Anyway that's probably too much pride being shown.

It won't be long before she's beating me and I'll have to change sports. Is it too early for lawn bowls?

I was going to be smart and say the middle of the pack but I can't be bothered. I've been helping daughter number 1 with her sin, cos and tan.I've got an electronics background (real technical officer electronics, not the (computer) circuit board swapping monkeys who call themselves 'technicians'. ) so that's basic stuff. I race in Townsville.

TriggerFish wrote:Great stuff! Good on Megan too! I hope she takes a lot of confidence out of the win. I bet you and the trouble and strife could not have been prouder.

Wow

She's impressive. Keep up the good work.

Megan's bit of a legend in these parts. One day in about year 2 she said she wanted to run in the school cross country race and told us she'll come 2nd. She did then won every year after that in primary school. The sneaky girl would size up the opposition at training and not run flat out to the point where she let others beat her at training then she'd let rip on race day.She been as high as 6th in the Townsville cross country, represented north Queensland at soccer, played basketball, touch and done athletics and now she's turned her skills to cycling.I pity the other junior cyclists. She inherited my sporting abilities and determination.After winning the race last Sunday she went and played soccer, kicked three goals and the team won 11-1. Last year her team scored 100 goals in the season.

Anyway that's probably too much pride being shown.

It won't be long before she's beating me and I'll have to change sports. Is it too early for lawn bowls?

Never be ashamed of promoting talent - never have too much pride as long as there is humility as well.

I'd be as proud as bloody punch. I am a proud father and I look forward to seeing and promoting her skills when the time comes

Cheers

Michael B

Don't worry, she knows it's only sport and not life and death.
She's been on the wrong end of many sound thrashings in basketball and soccer in her early years so knows what it's like winning and losing.

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